Viral Meningitis is the preferred type of meningitis in the medical community. It mostly affects children. It is usually mild and does not usually have long term effects, unlike its sister bacterial meningitis. The symptoms are flu like and include: fever, vomiting, diarrhea, sensitivity to light and trouble breathing.
What Causes It?
Viral Meningitis is caused, as the name suggests, by a virus. The virus infects the meninges, which are a thin sheet cover the spinal column and brain. It may be transferred by insect bites as well as contact with feces. It is mostly likely prevented by good hand-washing and hygiene practices. This virus can come from many different places.
One way it may enter the body is through external forces (which may be called entero viruses); this happens when a child, for example, plops hand from a book to her mouth. It also may enter the body through other viruses such as herpes, or the Epstein Barr Virus (nicknamed mono). A child you has not been given the MMR vaccine may also be at risk for this illness.
Is it Contagious?
Most people who come in contact with viral meningitis do not experience symptoms. If they do contract it, it was probably from intestinal/immune problems and not from another person. In the treatment of Viral Meningitis usually the patient is not isolated. Bacterial Meningitis, however, is a deadly contagion. There are some cases of Viral Meningitis that may prove fatal but those are rare cases. However, just because it isn’t overly contagious does not mean one should not avoid kissing or other activities that greatly increase chances of sharing the aforementioned viruses known as Entero while sick with these symptoms.
When Should You See a Doctor?
You should go to the doctor when you first recognize symptoms. Most people recover from Viral Meningitis symptoms in a week or two like they do with the flu virus. However, if the infected person is a child or elderly or very sickly person, it would be prudent to consult a doctor. It can mask itself as many other illnesses which may prove fatal or cause hearing or vision loss. Viral Meningitis may be harmless on its own but it may come with encephalitis or other diseases that may impair function in the long-term. It may also appear like another condition known as Septicemia which can kill in a relatively short period of twenty four hours.
